Pre-sterilizable carrier systems and methods for filling the same are known. A known carrier system comprises usually washed siliconized and sterilized syringes which are placed in a magazine after the washing and siliconizing step. The magazine—also called nest—is subsequently inserted into a container which is then sealed with a closing element, preferably a gas-permeable membrane film, and sterilized via suitable sterilization methods. Here, an ethylene oxide gassing is frequently used. Because the closing element is gas-permeable, the sterilization gas can penetrate into the interior of the container and can also sterilize the content of the container, thus the washed and siliconized syringes as well as the magazine comprising the latter. After the sterilization step, the container does not need to be opened again and can be delivered in the present form directly to a customer or can be transferred to a filling line. The gas-permeable closing element has in fact a filter effect in such a manner that it is permeable for a sterilization gas, but closes the container in a tight and sterile manner with respect to germs, viruses and bacteria. As long as the container remains closed, the sterility of its content is therefore ensured. At the customer who typically operates a filling system for filling the syringes or other hollow bodies having a pharmaceutical content comprised by the container, the container is opened, the hollow bodies are filled and closed, whereupon also the container can be closed again and can be transported to the end customer. Of course, the filled and closed hollow bodies can also be removed from the container and can be delivered to the end customer in different packaging units. It is essential in the mentioned pre-sterilized carrier systems and the methods for filling the same that a standardized packaging form is used which can be used in connection with standardized filling lines. Thus, the hollow bodies to be filled do not need to be removed from the container prior to the filling, whereby a complicated work step is eliminated. Furthermore, it is advantageous that the hollow bodies can be sterilized together in already packaged form, whereupon an immediate delivery or further processing can take place without the need of complicated intermediate steps such as packing into a new pre-sterilized further packaging unit or repacking. On the part of a producing pharmaceutical company which performs the filling, a clean room or the work step for preparing the hollow bodies can be eliminated because the latter are delivered ready for filling.
The fabrication and/or preparation of the hollow bodies can also take place as in-line process with the filling if a hot-air tunnel is provided between the sterilization device and the clean room in which the filling takes place.
However, the known pre-sterilizable carrier systems and the methods for filling the same are designed only for single-chamber systems, thus single-chamber syringes, single chamber carpules or phials. In order to fill dual-chamber systems such as dual-chamber syringes or carpules, complex methods and carrier devices are still necessary.